DIM appears to be making my acne worse!

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How so? I believe the opposite. DIM will increase hormones sent to the liver while CDG address the livers ability to basically chelate the excess hormones out of the body. You will not get a bottleneck from phase 1 to phase 2 and less likely to suffer an IB or flu like symptoms, esp if you double, tripple or even take grams of DIM doses.

I totally agree. If you look around the internet this combo is recommended for estrogen dominance.

ok...but does someone who eats 6+ servings of veggies and fruits per day + a serving of supergreen powder per day really need calcium d-glucarate? For me personally, I know that I don't get enough cruiciferous veggies to give me the same action as DIM but I eat tons of fruits and veggies in general, so I just don't see a need to add CDG unless someone can explain why I might be deficient.

Its not that your ARE currently deficient its that you MIGHT be deficient if you use higher ammounts of DIM as explained above. Its beneficial for the whole liver not just binding in phase 2 detoxification. Meaning it can help get rid of excess used hromones and toxins. Its more then common for someone with acne to have a congested liver and its my view adding even a small amount of extra hormones to the liver tht DIM sends could trigger an outbreak or worse make you ill.

I think what you're saying makes total sense, and I agree that it is especially important for those seeing a bad IB to consider calcium d-glucarate or some other liver detoxifier...I guess it really depends on the individual and the dose of DIM they are taking. I'm hoping MSM plus my supergreen powder will be enough to keep me generally detoxed, but if I notice an IB when I start DIM I might consider calcium d-glucarate too.

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How so? I believe the opposite. DIM will increase hormones sent to the liver while CDG address the livers ability to basically chelate the excess hormones out of the body. You will not get a bottleneck from phase 1 to phase 2 and less likely to suffer an IB or flu like symptoms, esp if you double, tripple or even take grams of DIM doses.

I totally agree. If you look around the internet this combo is recommended for estrogen dominance.

ok...but does someone who eats 6+ servings of veggies and fruits per day + a serving of supergreen powder per day really need calcium d-glucarate? For me personally, I know that I don't get enough cruiciferous veggies to give me the same action as DIM but I eat tons of fruits and veggies in general, so I just don't see a need to add CDG unless someone can explain why I might be deficient.

Its not that your ARE currently deficient its that you MIGHT be deficient if you use higher ammounts of DIM as explained above. Its beneficial for the whole liver not just binding in phase 2 detoxification. Meaning it can help get rid of excess used hromones and toxins. Its more then common for someone with acne to have a congested liver and its my view adding even a small amount of extra hormones to the liver tht DIM sends could trigger an outbreak or worse make you ill.

I think what you're saying makes total sense, and I agree that it is especially important for those seeing a bad IB to consider calcium d-glucarate or some other liver detoxifier...I guess it really depends on the individual and the dose of DIM they are taking. I'm hoping MSM plus my supergreen powder will be enough to keep me generally detoxed, but if I notice an IB when I start DIM I might consider calcium d-glucarate too.

My main point is really getting enough protein/sulpur with DIM. Some will have no problems at all with DIM because they might have 1)better functioning livers 2)Diet that supports liver detoxing 3) Using supplements that protect the liver.

When you get vegans/vegis on DIM I could see the problem being lack of protein for phase 2, but not a lack of sulphur! You need both, which is the problem so this means the right veg with the right ammount of proteins. (either supplemented or dietry wise, but both are key for the liver, the liver and bowels are the 2 key organs for healthy skin)

My only wish to breed I explode into a million seeds...

I found my fiancee on the org.

A Star that I will always serve, protect and love. I found her in the darkness and together we made light from our shadows.

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I don't normally get periods - a lot of women on raw diets lose their period or if they get them they are really light and last maybe half a day. ANYWAY lo and behold now I have a full blown period. That's got to be down to the DIM. Pesky DIM. I'm not enjoying it at all

Another week then I'll see where I'm at...

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I don't normally get periods - a lot of women on raw diets lose their period or if they get them they are really light and last maybe half a day. ANYWAY lo and behold now I have a full blown period. That's got to be down to the DIM. Pesky DIM. I'm not enjoying it at all :(

Another week then I'll see where I'm at...

Can women on raw diets get pregnant?

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I don't normally get periods - a lot of women on raw diets lose their period or if they get them they are really light and last maybe half a day. ANYWAY lo and behold now I have a full blown period. That's got to be down to the DIM. Pesky DIM. I'm not enjoying it at all :(

Another week then I'll see where I'm at...

Hmmm... That could be a key to your acne problems. Having your period helps regulate your hormones. Not having it, especially for a prolonged period, would really contribute to estrogen dominance.

It is like a reason that picks you up

And places you

Where you always wanted

To be.

*Moderator edit - Linking to websites other than Acne.org in your signature is not allowed*

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I don't normally get periods - a lot of women on raw diets lose their period or if they get them they are really light and last maybe half a day. ANYWAY lo and behold now I have a full blown period. That's got to be down to the DIM. Pesky DIM. I'm not enjoying it at all :(

Another week then I'll see where I'm at...

Can women on raw diets get pregnant?

Yeah still ovulate just no blood

Another thing I've experienced whilst taking DIM...

I don't normally get periods - a lot of women on raw diets lose their period or if they get them they are really light and last maybe half a day. ANYWAY lo and behold now I have a full blown period. That's got to be down to the DIM. Pesky DIM. I'm not enjoying it at all :(

Another week then I'll see where I'm at...

Hmmm... That could be a key to your acne problems. Having your period helps regulate your hormones. Not having it, especially for a prolonged period, would really contribute to estrogen dominance.

My skin got way better when I started eating raw. I've had acne for 14 years and only been raw about six months or so.

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I don't normally get periods - a lot of women on raw diets lose their period or if they get them they are really light and last maybe half a day. ANYWAY lo and behold now I have a full blown period. That's got to be down to the DIM. Pesky DIM. I'm not enjoying it at all :(

Another week then I'll see where I'm at...

Can women on raw diets get pregnant?

Yeah still ovulate just no blood

Another thing I've experienced whilst taking DIM...

I don't normally get periods - a lot of women on raw diets lose their period or if they get them they are really light and last maybe half a day. ANYWAY lo and behold now I have a full blown period. That's got to be down to the DIM. Pesky DIM. I'm not enjoying it at all :(

Another week then I'll see where I'm at...

Hmmm... That could be a key to your acne problems. Having your period helps regulate your hormones. Not having it, especially for a prolonged period, would really contribute to estrogen dominance.

My skin got way better when I started eating raw. I've had acne for 14 years and only been raw about six months or so.

I'm not talking about eating raw, I'm talking about not having menses.

Not actually bleeding every month is most assuredly a hormone problem. Could be because your underweight (?), or have endometriosis, PCOS, a myriad of things could cause it. Whatever the cause, your body is telling you there is a problem.

Amenorrhea means that a woman of childbearing age fails to menstruate.

A woman normally menstruates every 23 to 35 days. The cycle is regulated by the portion of the brain called the hypothalamus, which also controls body temperature, appetite and blood pressure. The hypothalamus stimulates the pituitary gland (located near the base of the brain) to release two hormones that regulate the female reproductive cycle: luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. These hormones influence the production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which are responsible for cyclic changes in the lining of the uterus, including menstruation. In order for a woman to have regular menstrual cycles, her hypothalamus, pituitary gland, ovaries and uterus must be functioning properly. Her cervix and vagina must also have a normal anatomy for menstrual blood to pass through.

Amenorrhea is a symptom in itself. Any associated symptoms will depend on the problem that is causing the missed menstrual periods. For example, various forms of hormone imbalance may cause amenorrhea together with excess body and facial hair, acne, a lowering of the voice, an altered sex drive, breast milk secretions, weight gain, or several or all these symptoms.

It is like a reason that picks you up

And places you

Where you always wanted

To be.

*Moderator edit - Linking to websites other than Acne.org in your signature is not allowed*

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sorry if you've already answered this, but could you give a brief description of your acne history, what has it been like lately? I would agree with Ayla that getting your period (although unpleasant) is a really good sign that DIM is helping to balance your hormones...Given that you were so unbalanced to begin with (not having a real period for 6 months!) it doesn't surprise me at all that you would get an IB...your hormonal balance is changing drastically...definitely keep us updated though

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How so? I believe the opposite. DIM will increase hormones sent to the liver while CDG address the livers ability to basically chelate the excess hormones out of the body. You will not get a bottleneck from phase 1 to phase 2 and less likely to suffer an IB or flu like symptoms, esp if you double, tripple or even take grams of DIM doses.

I totally agree. If you look around the internet this combo is recommended for estrogen dominance.

ok...but does someone who eats 6+ servings of veggies and fruits per day + a serving of supergreen powder per day really need calcium d-glucarate? For me personally, I know that I don't get enough cruiciferous veggies to give me the same action as DIM but I eat tons of fruits and veggies in general, so I just don't see a need to add CDG unless someone can explain why I might be deficient.

Its not that your ARE currently deficient its that you MIGHT be deficient if you use higher ammounts of DIM as explained above. Its beneficial for the whole liver not just binding in phase 2 detoxification. Meaning it can help get rid of excess used hromones and toxins. Its more then common for someone with acne to have a congested liver and its my view adding even a small amount of extra hormones to the liver tht DIM sends could trigger an outbreak or worse make you ill.

I think what you're saying makes total sense, and I agree that it is especially important for those seeing a bad IB to consider calcium d-glucarate or some other liver detoxifier...I guess it really depends on the individual and the dose of DIM they are taking. I'm hoping MSM plus my supergreen powder will be enough to keep me generally detoxed, but if I notice an IB when I start DIM I might consider calcium d-glucarate too.

My main point is really getting enough protein/sulpur with DIM. Some will have no problems at all with DIM because they might have 1)better functioning livers 2)Diet that supports liver detoxing 3) Using supplements that protect the liver.

When you get vegans/vegis on DIM I could see the problem being lack of protein for phase 2, but not a lack of sulphur! You need both, which is the problem so this means the right veg with the right ammount of proteins. (either supplemented or dietry wise, but both are key for the liver, the liver and bowels are the 2 key organs for healthy skin)

Hey Jodiat,

I really appreciate all of your help! THis is good to know. I think I probably get enough protein from meat and fish and hopefully the MSM will cover my sulfur needs. It seems that calcium d-glucarate is a worthwhile supplement, though. I think I will invest in some in the future, but right now I just can't bring myself to buy any new supplements :) My roomate says that my kitchen drawer looks like a medicine cabinet!

On another note, I was doing some reading (not sure about reliability of the source) and I guess there is some controversy over whether or not DIM can effectively remove xenoestrogens from the body. It will certainly create a more favorable ratio of good to bad estrogens, but it's not certain that it will remove xenoestrogens which could be another reason to supplement with CDG

On the other hand, if it's true that DIM doesn't remove xenoestrogens (and it might not be true, I only saw this in one place)...then maybe we shouldn't be expecting too many IB's with DIM? I don't know, what do you think?

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I don't normally get periods - a lot of women on raw diets lose their period or if they get them they are really light and last maybe half a day. ANYWAY lo and behold now I have a full blown period. That's got to be down to the DIM. Pesky DIM. I'm not enjoying it at all :(

Another week then I'll see where I'm at...

Can women on raw diets get pregnant?

Yeah still ovulate just no blood

Another thing I've experienced whilst taking DIM...

I don't normally get periods - a lot of women on raw diets lose their period or if they get them they are really light and last maybe half a day. ANYWAY lo and behold now I have a full blown period. That's got to be down to the DIM. Pesky DIM. I'm not enjoying it at all :(

Another week then I'll see where I'm at...

Hmmm... That could be a key to your acne problems. Having your period helps regulate your hormones. Not having it, especially for a prolonged period, would really contribute to estrogen dominance.

My skin got way better when I started eating raw. I've had acne for 14 years and only been raw about six months or so.

I'm not talking about eating raw, I'm talking about not having menses.

Not actually bleeding every month is most assuredly a hormone problem. Could be because your underweight (?), or have endometriosis, PCOS, a myriad of things could cause it. Whatever the cause, your body is telling you there is a problem.

Amenorrhea means that a woman of childbearing age fails to menstruate.

A woman normally menstruates every 23 to 35 days. The cycle is regulated by the portion of the brain called the hypothalamus, which also controls body temperature, appetite and blood pressure. The hypothalamus stimulates the pituitary gland (located near the base of the brain) to release two hormones that regulate the female reproductive cycle: luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. These hormones influence the production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which are responsible for cyclic changes in the lining of the uterus, including menstruation. In order for a woman to have regular menstrual cycles, her hypothalamus, pituitary gland, ovaries and uterus must be functioning properly. Her cervix and vagina must also have a normal anatomy for menstrual blood to pass through.

Amenorrhea is a symptom in itself. Any associated symptoms will depend on the problem that is causing the missed menstrual periods. For example, various forms of hormone imbalance may cause amenorrhea together with excess body and facial hair, acne, a lowering of the voice, an altered sex drive, breast milk secretions, weight gain, or several or all these symptoms.

It's very common for people who eat a high raw or all raw diet to stop bleeding. I may be slightly underweight according to BMI but that wouldn't explain why I'm now bleeding as I've not put weight on. I am listening to my body and I know it very well - in my mind the reason I'm now bleeding is because of these tablets - nothing else has changed.

sorry if you've already answered this, but could you give a brief description of your acne history, what has it been like lately? I would agree with Ayla that getting your period (although unpleasant) is a really good sign that DIM is helping to balance your hormones...Given that you were so unbalanced to begin with (not having a real period for 6 months!) it doesn't surprise me at all that you would get an IB...your hormonal balance is changing drastically...definitely keep us updated though

Thanks Bran, I'm hoping it's a temporary thing until it kicks in. However the no period is attributable to my eating and not any other problem - been tested for pcos etc.

We'll see what happens in a few days. Explains why i've been a bit pre-menstrual and moody - I haven't been like that in months and it's been BLISS!

My acne has varied from moderate to mild since i was 14 - now 28. Skin cleared up a lot when I went to raw with only hormonally period spots.

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I really appreciate all of your help! THis is good to know. I think I probably get enough protein from meat and fish and hopefully the MSM will cover my sulfur needs. It seems that calcium d-glucarate is a worthwhile supplement, though. I think I will invest in some in the future, but right now I just can't bring myself to buy any new supplements :) My roomate says that my kitchen drawer looks like a medicine cabinet!

On another note, I was doing some reading (not sure about reliability of the source) and I guess there is some controversy over whether or not DIM can effectively remove xenoestrogens from the body. It will certainly create a more favorable ratio of good to bad estrogens, but it's not certain that it will remove xenoestrogens which could be another reason to supplement with CDG

On the other hand, if it's true that DIM doesn't remove xenoestrogens (and it might not be true, I only saw this in one place)...then maybe we shouldn't be expecting too many IB's with DIM? I don't know, what do you think?

bran88: For yourself I do believe youll be ok but thats not to say you will, I used a high ammount of flax lignans and got ill and broken out really bad, its similar to DIM and this is why im warning incase others have done what I did. LOL you remind me of myself as my house is likea drug store atm! Ive got an A4 size paper listed full of supplements I take lol and its costly but ah well worth it.

Exposure to xenoestrogen. When a female embryo develops in the womb, 500,000 to 800,000 follicles are created in the embryo, each enclosing an immature ovum. These fragile ovarian follicles are extremely sensitive to the toxicity of environmental pollutants. When the mother is exposed to toxic chemicals that resemble estrogen in its molecular structure, she may experience no apparent damage outwardly. However the baby is more vulnerable to these toxins that may damage its ovarian follicles and make them dysfunctional. This will not be apparent until the baby reaches puberty some 10 to 15 years later, when symptoms of incomplete ovulation or insufficient progesterone production can be noted.

Petrochemical compounds found in general consumer products such as creams, lotions, soaps, shampoos, perfume, hair spray and room deodorizers. Such compounds often have chemical structures similar to estrogen and indeed act like estrogen. Other sources of xenoestrogen include car exhaust, petrochemically derived pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides; solvents and adhesives such as that those found in nail polish, paint removers, and glues; dry-cleaning chemicals; practically all plastics, industrial waste such as PCBs and dioxins, synthetic estrogens from urine of women taking HRT and birth control pills that is flushed down the toilet and eventually found its way into the food chain and back into the body. They are fat soluble and non-biodegradable.

_________________________________________________

Its my view that whats happening in the body and I might be wrong, but fromreading alot into it all here goes.

Estrogen and XenoEstrogen are very similar in their makeup, enough to the point the body thinks it is a natural Estrogen. These and body Estrogens now have an advantage over progesterone as they compete but need to be kept balanced! Now Estrogen wins by having larger numbers (even tho XenoEstrogen is unnatural but powerful). Whats happening is at hormone receptor sites in the body (and maybe more in the womb of females) the war between Progesterone and Estrogen +XenoEstrogen is taking place. What DIM is doing is coming along and giving Progesterone a helping hand. What Mr DIM does is act like an Estrogen. Now Mr DIM is weaker then Mr XenoEstrogen which is a good thing. The receptor sites now take up plenty of DIM instead of XenoEstrogen. (what yourdoing is replacing one evil with a less evil)*** Now XenoEstrogens are freely floating in the blood stream and end up at the liver.

IF the liver is congested then it cant deal effectivly with this excess increase in Hromones (not everyones liver is congested but could be congested enough if you alter hormones e.g.how some Bodybuilders who take steroids can get very bad acne is the same principle). If your liver cant deal with the excess hormones thrown at it, they will recycle them in the blood untill the livers less busy and can bind proteins and sulphur with them at a later date. Having dirty blood and blood filled with excess used hormones is why you might get IB with DIM and why you (like I have) might get ill if you increase DIM dose. (I was on 5grams of Flax lignans per day, being similar to DIM I got very ill and broken out like crazy...little did I know that DIM and flax are using the same methods and I didnt connect the dots untill the other day while reading about DIM)

*** Side Note: In Estrogen Dominance its progesterone cream thats the main method of attack. What this is doing is directly altering the hormone imbalance by giving the low amount of Progesterone a boost with natural progesterone (mainly in a cream form). This method isnt altering Estrogen directly like DIM but indirectly by increasing Progesterone. Whats happening here is as Estrogen and Progesterone are in a balancing war and increasing Progesterone will bash excess Estrogen of receptor sites. This is imo better then using DIM or Flax and gets staight to business by increasing whats needed, notsimply exchanging on for another (Unless DIM has other virtues, but DIM can increase progesterone levels too!)

**This is only important to people who have hormonal acne and is much more important for females then males. While male can and are ED its females who need to monitor this as their Mensas increase Estrogen monthly (and Progesterone) but this imbalance is one major reason for PMS.

You can have acne from candida, food allergens, poor blood sugar motbalism, stress and poor diet so dont jump into DIM and think itsa full cure. Its a nice piece of the puzzle but not the whole puzzle itself.

lolly: Very interesting link...bookmarked!

My only wish to breed I explode into a million seeds...

I found my fiancee on the org.

A Star that I will always serve, protect and love. I found her in the darkness and together we made light from our shadows.

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I really appreciate all of your help! THis is good to know. I think I probably get enough protein from meat and fish and hopefully the MSM will cover my sulfur needs. It seems that calcium d-glucarate is a worthwhile supplement, though. I think I will invest in some in the future, but right now I just can't bring myself to buy any new supplements :) My roomate says that my kitchen drawer looks like a medicine cabinet!

On another note, I was doing some reading (not sure about reliability of the source) and I guess there is some controversy over whether or not DIM can effectively remove xenoestrogens from the body. It will certainly create a more favorable ratio of good to bad estrogens, but it's not certain that it will remove xenoestrogens which could be another reason to supplement with CDG

On the other hand, if it's true that DIM doesn't remove xenoestrogens (and it might not be true, I only saw this in one place)...then maybe we shouldn't be expecting too many IB's with DIM? I don't know, what do you think?

bran88: For yourself I do believe youll be ok but thats not to say you will, I used a high ammount of flax lignans and got ill and broken out really bad, its similar to DIM and this is why im warning incase others have done what I did. LOL you remind me of myself as my house is likea drug store atm! Ive got an A4 size paper listed full of supplements I take lol and its costly but ah well worth it.

Exposure to xenoestrogen. When a female embryo develops in the womb, 500,000 to 800,000 follicles are created in the embryo, each enclosing an immature ovum. These fragile ovarian follicles are extremely sensitive to the toxicity of environmental pollutants. When the mother is exposed to toxic chemicals that resemble estrogen in its molecular structure, she may experience no apparent damage outwardly. However the baby is more vulnerable to these toxins that may damage its ovarian follicles and make them dysfunctional. This will not be apparent until the baby reaches puberty some 10 to 15 years later, when symptoms of incomplete ovulation or insufficient progesterone production can be noted.

Petrochemical compounds found in general consumer products such as creams, lotions, soaps, shampoos, perfume, hair spray and room deodorizers. Such compounds often have chemical structures similar to estrogen and indeed act like estrogen. Other sources of xenoestrogen include car exhaust, petrochemically derived pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides; solvents and adhesives such as that those found in nail polish, paint removers, and glues; dry-cleaning chemicals; practically all plastics, industrial waste such as PCBs and dioxins, synthetic estrogens from urine of women taking HRT and birth control pills that is flushed down the toilet and eventually found its way into the food chain and back into the body. They are fat soluble and non-biodegradable.

_________________________________________________

Its my view that whats happening in the body and I might be wrong, but fromreading alot into it all here goes.

Estrogen and XenoEstrogen are very similar in their makeup, enough to the point the body thinks it is a natural Estrogen. These and body Estrogens now have an advantage over progesterone as they compete but need to be kept balanced! Now Estrogen wins by having larger numbers (even tho XenoEstrogen is unnatural but powerful). Whats happening is at hormone receptor sites in the body (and maybe more in the womb of females) the war between Progesterone and Estrogen +XenoEstrogen is taking place. What DIM is doing is coming along and giving Progesterone a helping hand. What Mr DIM does is act like an Estrogen. Now Mr DIM is weaker then Mr XenoEstrogen which is a good thing. The receptor sites now take up plenty of DIM instead of XenoEstrogen. (what yourdoing is replacing one evil with a less evil)*** Now XenoEstrogens are freely floating in the blood stream and end up at the liver.

IF the liver is congested then it cant deal effectivly with this excess increase in Hromones (not everyones liver is congested but could be congested enough if you alter hormones e.g.how some Bodybuilders who take steroids can get very bad acne is the same principle). If your liver cant deal with the excess hormones thrown at it, they will recycle them in the blood untill the livers less busy and can bind proteins and sulphur with them at a later date. Having dirty blood and blood filled with excess used hormones is why you might get IB with DIM and why you (like I have) might get ill if you increase DIM dose. (I was on 5grams of Flax lignans per day, being similar to DIM I got very ill and broken out like crazy...little did I know that DIM and flax are using the same methods and I didnt connect the dots untill the other day while reading about DIM)

*** Side Note: In Estrogen Dominance its progesterone cream thats the main method of attack. What this is doing is directly altering the hormone imbalance by giving the low amount of Progesterone a boost with natural progesterone (mainly in a cream form). This method isnt altering Estrogen directly like DIM but indirectly by increasing Progesterone. Whats happening here is as Estrogen and Progesterone are in a balancing war and increasing Progesterone will bash excess Estrogen of receptor sites. This is imo better then using DIM or Flax and gets staight to business by increasing whats needed, notsimply exchanging on for another (Unless DIM has other virtues, but DIM can increase progesterone levels too!)

**This is only important to people who have hormonal acne and is much more important for females then males. While male can and are ED its females who need to monitor this as their Mensas increase Estrogen monthly (and Progesterone) but this imbalance is one major reason for PMS.

You can have acne from candida, food allergens, poor blood sugar motbalism, stress and poor diet so dont jump into DIM and think itsa full cure. Its a nice piece of the puzzle but not the whole puzzle itself.

lolly: Very interesting link...bookmarked!

Thanks Jodiat! That's some very useful info...I totally agree that acne can have many different causes (and often multiple causes within a person) and that no one supplement is a miracle cure...I think that part of my problem is hormonal since I do have fibrocysts (I know, more than you needed to know!) but I think that's a big sign that my estrogen is out of wack...I also never had normal periods growing up, so the part you mentioned about xenoestrogens being able to disrupt the estrogen progesterone balance in the womb is really enlightening! I think I will add in CDG if I can find it at whole foods, I suppose one more bottle in my "medicine cabinet" couldn't hurt :) Are you taking CDG right now? How is everything going for you? My DIM is supposed to arrive today, so we'll see how things go for me, wish me luck :)

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I don't normally get periods - a lot of women on raw diets lose their period or if they get them they are really light and last maybe half a day. ANYWAY lo and behold now I have a full blown period. That's got to be down to the DIM. Pesky DIM. I'm not enjoying it at all :(

Another week then I'll see where I'm at...

Can women on raw diets get pregnant?

Yeah still ovulate just no blood

Another thing I've experienced whilst taking DIM...

I don't normally get periods - a lot of women on raw diets lose their period or if they get them they are really light and last maybe half a day. ANYWAY lo and behold now I have a full blown period. That's got to be down to the DIM. Pesky DIM. I'm not enjoying it at all :(

Another week then I'll see where I'm at...

Hmmm... That could be a key to your acne problems. Having your period helps regulate your hormones. Not having it, especially for a prolonged period, would really contribute to estrogen dominance.

My skin got way better when I started eating raw. I've had acne for 14 years and only been raw about six months or so.

I'm not talking about eating raw, I'm talking about not having menses.

Not actually bleeding every month is most assuredly a hormone problem. Could be because your underweight (?), or have endometriosis, PCOS, a myriad of things could cause it. Whatever the cause, your body is telling you there is a problem.

Amenorrhea means that a woman of childbearing age fails to menstruate.

A woman normally menstruates every 23 to 35 days. The cycle is regulated by the portion of the brain called the hypothalamus, which also controls body temperature, appetite and blood pressure. The hypothalamus stimulates the pituitary gland (located near the base of the brain) to release two hormones that regulate the female reproductive cycle: luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. These hormones influence the production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which are responsible for cyclic changes in the lining of the uterus, including menstruation. In order for a woman to have regular menstrual cycles, her hypothalamus, pituitary gland, ovaries and uterus must be functioning properly. Her cervix and vagina must also have a normal anatomy for menstrual blood to pass through.

Amenorrhea is a symptom in itself. Any associated symptoms will depend on the problem that is causing the missed menstrual periods. For example, various forms of hormone imbalance may cause amenorrhea together with excess body and facial hair, acne, a lowering of the voice, an altered sex drive, breast milk secretions, weight gain, or several or all these symptoms.

It's very common for people who eat a high raw or all raw diet to stop bleeding. I may be slightly underweight according to BMI but that wouldn't explain why I'm now bleeding as I've not put weight on. I am listening to my body and I know it very well - in my mind the reason I'm now bleeding is because of these tablets - nothing else has changed.

sorry if you've already answered this, but could you give a brief description of your acne history, what has it been like lately? I would agree with Ayla that getting your period (although unpleasant) is a really good sign that DIM is helping to balance your hormones...Given that you were so unbalanced to begin with (not having a real period for 6 months!) it doesn't surprise me at all that you would get an IB...your hormonal balance is changing drastically...definitely keep us updated though

Thanks Bran, I'm hoping it's a temporary thing until it kicks in. However the no period is attributable to my eating and not any other problem - been tested for pcos etc.

We'll see what happens in a few days. Explains why i've been a bit pre-menstrual and moody - I haven't been like that in months and it's been BLISS!

My acne has varied from moderate to mild since i was 14 - now 28. Skin cleared up a lot when I went to raw with only hormonally period spots.

wow maybe there's something to that raw diet thing ;-) I think you'll know about the DIM within a couple of weeks, I don't think an IB should take longer than that. Make sure you're getting plenty of water and rest and maybe as Jodiat and others suggested consider Taurine or CDG? A few spots pre-period though really isn't so bad, good for you and your diet! If the DIM doesn't work for you, maybe you can look into Vitex (chasteberry)...Its a natural herb that also helps to balance hormones, but it works very gently. It has helped me a lot with monthly regularity and also to suppress androgens (I think), although it hasn't worked to clear my acne (but I started out with moderate/severe acne, so maybe combined with your diet it could work for you?) ANyway, i have my fingers crossed for you :)

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wow maybe there's something to that raw diet thing ;-) I think you'll know about the DIM within a couple of weeks, I don't think an IB should take longer than that. Make sure you're getting plenty of water and rest and maybe as Jodiat and others suggested consider Taurine or CDG? A few spots pre-period though really isn't so bad, good for you and your diet! If the DIM doesn't work for you, maybe you can look into Vitex (chasteberry)...Its a natural herb that also helps to balance hormones, but it works very gently. It has helped me a lot with monthly regularity and also to suppress androgens (I think), although it hasn't worked to clear my acne (but I started out with moderate/severe acne, so maybe combined with your diet it could work for you?) ANyway, i have my fingers crossed for you :)

How lovely, thanks for that. Yeah I'm not bothered too much about the spots more the period lol!

I've heard of chasteberry but not ever tried it. Maca is also meant to be good for balancing hormones. I'm off to make a green smoothie with a shovel full of the stuff :)

That's interesting. You know, I've never thought it made any sense. If it's necessary to eliminate the blood, why not all at once through some kind of valve mechanism like urination?

So accepting the assumption that we aren't meant to bleed at all, I wonder if how heavy a flow you have is an indicator of how healthy you are and if it varies, than how healthy you are that month.

Because I've always had a short, light period with minimal PMS symptoms. But for the past year at least, it's nearly non-existent. And a year or so ago, I would have spotting, then nothing for a day, then 1 day that was somewhat heavy and that would be it.

Note that if you don't bleed, you might have to worry about getting too much iron like men do.

Edit: I just thought of something else, though. This is claiming that when we eat our 'natural diet', we don't bleed, but we know that in many hunter/gatherer type bands women do bleed because they are sent off to live in a special hut or have other rituals about them being 'unclean.' So we'd have to eat a pretty darn 'natural diet' to not bleed. Not just eat more fruit and veggies. 'Natural Diet' in quotes only because it's debatable what that is. I would guess it's a gorilla diet. But if the difference is eating meat, chimpanzees eat meat, they even hunt, but according to this blog and linked article, they don't have menstrual bleeding.

Status: Clear after 30 years. Wow, I guess it's been 6 years, now.

[ Story: Severe Acne since I was 10. 10+ years of Dermatologists, Antibiotics, topicals and ACCUTANE did nothing. Discovered oranges triggered the worst of my cystic acne = about 70% improvement. Tried some nutrient supplements like B-complex with zinc and C, saw palmetto and a BHA like the aspirin mask = more improvement, a lot less oily. Then, Diet changes = Clear.

Regimen: Anti-inflammatory, nutrient dense, blood sugar stabilizing diet and supplements (for hormones, inflammation, aging, health). No soap or other cleanser except for hand washing! Water only or Oil cleanse. Aloe Vera mixed with niacinimide and a high linoleic acid oil for moisturizer and reduce pigmentation.

That's interesting. You know, I've never thought it made any sense. If it's necessary to eliminate the blood, why not all at once through some kind of valve mechanism like urination?

So accepting the assumption that we aren't meant to bleed at all, I wonder if how heavy a flow you have is an indicator of how healthy you are and if it varies, than how healthy you are that month.

Because I've always had a short, light period with minimal PMS symptoms. But for the past year at least, it's nearly non-existent. And a year or so ago, I would have spotting, then nothing for a day, then 1 day that was like a gusher, to me anyway.

Note that if you don't bleed, you might have to worry about getting too much iron like men do.

Edit: I just thought of something else, though. This is claiming that when we eat our 'natural diet', we don't bleed, but we know that in many hunter/gatherer type bands women do bleed because they are sent off to live in a special hut or have other rituals about them being 'unclean.' So we'd have to eat a pretty darn 'natural diet' to not bleed. Not just eat more fruit and veggies. 'Natural Diet' in quotes only because it's debatable what that is. I would guess it's a gorilla diet. But if the difference is eating meat, chimpanzees eat meat, they even hunt, but according to this blog and linked article, they don't have menstrual bleeding.

It is interesting isn't it. From the women I've spoken to who are varying degrees of raw (i.e. some eat cooked and probably not terribly good cooked at that) their periods can range from nothing at all, ever to light spotting, to lasting only a half a day to lasting only day or slightly more). I guess it will be individual and other factors will be involved. It's also wise of course to rule out any other reasons why they may have stopped. I'm fortunate that I can say to a great degree of certainty that it's my diet because before then I'd bleed up to 5 days regularly. God, how bloody awful are periods - no pun intended.

I guess the closer to a 'natural' diet you get the lighter your period might well be. It makes sense in my head because why would mother nature, in all her infinite wisdom inflict horrendous cramping and bleeding profusely every month. It doesn't make any sense naturally for us to suffer so badly and leave trails of blood around everywhere.

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I guess the closer to a 'natural' diet you get the lighter your period might well be. It makes sense in my head because why would mother nature, in all her infinite wisdom inflict horrendous cramping and bleeding profusely every month. It doesn't make any sense naturally for us to suffer so badly and leave trails of blood around everywhere.

Yeah, but I have to make another comment. That blog links to a way extreme article about sex and another link doesn't work, so right now there seems to be only one good reference to what that blogger says.

Status: Clear after 30 years. Wow, I guess it's been 6 years, now.

[ Story: Severe Acne since I was 10. 10+ years of Dermatologists, Antibiotics, topicals and ACCUTANE did nothing. Discovered oranges triggered the worst of my cystic acne = about 70% improvement. Tried some nutrient supplements like B-complex with zinc and C, saw palmetto and a BHA like the aspirin mask = more improvement, a lot less oily. Then, Diet changes = Clear.

Regimen: Anti-inflammatory, nutrient dense, blood sugar stabilizing diet and supplements (for hormones, inflammation, aging, health). No soap or other cleanser except for hand washing! Water only or Oil cleanse. Aloe Vera mixed with niacinimide and a high linoleic acid oil for moisturizer and reduce pigmentation.

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I guess the closer to a 'natural' diet you get the lighter your period might well be. It makes sense in my head because why would mother nature, in all her infinite wisdom inflict horrendous cramping and bleeding profusely every month. It doesn't make any sense naturally for us to suffer so badly and leave trails of blood around everywhere.

Yeah, but I have to make another comment. That blog links to a way extreme article about sex and another link doesn't work, so right now there seems to be only one good reference to what that blogger says.

Yep, one good reference and then all of these real life experiences which mean way more in my book.

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I guess the closer to a 'natural' diet you get the lighter your period might well be. It makes sense in my head because why would mother nature, in all her infinite wisdom inflict horrendous cramping and bleeding profusely every month. It doesn't make any sense naturally for us to suffer so badly and leave trails of blood around everywhere.

Another fertile area of anthropological analysis of female reproductive health is menstruation. In urban-industrial societies the age at which puberty begins is earlier than in more traditional societies, due to differences in diet and lifestyle, but everywhere the early pubertal experience of breast budding and pubic hair is followed around 2 years later by menarche. Menarche occurs at age 16.5 on average among the !Kung San for example versus 12.5 among American girls (Shostak 1983.) Culturally, menarche is celebrated in many societies as a rite of passage that marks this stage in life as that moment when society recognizes that the girl has become a woman and will experience monthly periods for decades to come. But that is where the similarities end.

According to anthropological studies many of the ongoing physical and emotional problems associated with menstruation in modern, industrial societies appear to be largely a product of urban-industrial lifestyles. Mead (1961: 145) found that it was unusual for a young woman in Samoa to complain of menstrual problems. Shostak (1983:353) found that the South African people, the !Kung, did not experience PMS or menstrual syndrome and noticed no mood changes around this time of month. Howell also found that menstruation was rare among the !Kung San (1979.)

And of course, we've known that puberty has been starting earlier and earlier. Although environmental xenoestrogens probably has a lot to do with that.

Status: Clear after 30 years. Wow, I guess it's been 6 years, now.

[ Story: Severe Acne since I was 10. 10+ years of Dermatologists, Antibiotics, topicals and ACCUTANE did nothing. Discovered oranges triggered the worst of my cystic acne = about 70% improvement. Tried some nutrient supplements like B-complex with zinc and C, saw palmetto and a BHA like the aspirin mask = more improvement, a lot less oily. Then, Diet changes = Clear.

Regimen: Anti-inflammatory, nutrient dense, blood sugar stabilizing diet and supplements (for hormones, inflammation, aging, health). No soap or other cleanser except for hand washing! Water only or Oil cleanse. Aloe Vera mixed with niacinimide and a high linoleic acid oil for moisturizer and reduce pigmentation.

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I guess the closer to a 'natural' diet you get the lighter your period might well be. It makes sense in my head because why would mother nature, in all her infinite wisdom inflict horrendous cramping and bleeding profusely every month. It doesn't make any sense naturally for us to suffer so badly and leave trails of blood around everywhere.

Yeah, but I have to make another comment. That blog links to a way extreme article about sex and another link doesn't work, so right now there seems to be only one good reference to what that blogger says.

Yep, one good reference and then all of these real life experiences which mean way more in my book.

Another fertile area of anthropological analysis of female reproductive health is menstruation. In urban-industrial societies the age at which puberty begins is earlier than in more traditional societies, due to differences in diet and lifestyle, but everywhere the early pubertal experience of breast budding and pubic hair is followed around 2 years later by menarche. Menarche occurs at age 16.5 on average among the !Kung San for example versus 12.5 among American girls (Shostak 1983.) Culturally, menarche is celebrated in many societies as a rite of passage that marks this stage in life as that moment when society recognizes that the girl has become a woman and will experience monthly periods for decades to come. But that is where the similarities end.

According to anthropological studies many of the ongoing physical and emotional problems associated with menstruation in modern, industrial societies appear to be largely a product of urban-industrial lifestyles. Mead (1961: 145) found that it was unusual for a young woman in Samoa to complain of menstrual problems. Shostak (1983:353) found that the South African people, the !Kung, did not experience PMS or menstrual syndrome and noticed no mood changes around this time of month. Howell also found that menstruation was rare among the !Kung San (1979.)

And of course, we've known that puberty has been starting earlier and earlier.

Thanks, that's really interesting.

I think that we are becoming more and more seperate from nature and as such we are becoming more and more unnatural. Oh well, the price of progress! :)

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I've just finished the first week and it seem like my skin is getting worse too. I've suffered from cystic and pretty severe acne, which I've reduced to just moderate, but my face looks worse now than it has in about a year. I'm a male and also take daily multivitamins, zinc, taurine, and probiotics.

My face feels oilier than usual and have been getting new spots all week. Mostly small spots that quickly go to whiteheads, but they're showing up in places I haven't had zits for a long time. Like around my jaw line and right around my mouth. Usually its mostly my forehead and cheeks that get hit... but awwwwgggg my face looks awful right now.

I'm taking Nature's Way DIM, about 2-3x pills each dose, twice a day. I'm freaking out since my face really does seem to be getting worse and feeling worse in terms of oil and the number of inflammed spots.... Anyone have any ideas for me? Whats going on?

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I've just finished the first week and it seem like my skin is getting worse too. I've suffered from cystic and pretty severe acne, which I've reduced to just moderate, but my face looks worse now than it has in about a year. I'm a male and also take daily multivitamins, zinc, taurine, and probiotics.

My face feels oilier than usual and have been getting new spots all week. Mostly small spots that quickly go to whiteheads, but they're showing up in places I haven't had zits for a long time. Like around my jaw line and right around my mouth. Usually its mostly my forehead and cheeks that get hit... but awwwwgggg my face looks awful right now.

I'm taking Nature's Way DIM, about 2-3x pills each dose, twice a day. I'm freaking out since my face really does seem to be getting worse and feeling worse in terms of oil and the number of inflammed spots.... Anyone have any ideas for me? Whats going on?

Hiya

Well this is me week one and one day in and although my skin has been horrendous the last five days or so it's getting better now. No new spots today and other ones healing. My advice, give it another week or so, that's what I intend to do.

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Lollypolly- Just like you said, I would take the recommended dose of DIM. It doesnt seem to work any faster for anyone when they double the dose (so I've noticed in the main DIM thread).

And I'd try to stick it out until the bottle runs out. I started it almost a week ago, and my skin went through a breakout (I was considering taking antibiotics)... but i do see a TINY percentage of oil reduction. Hardly noticible, but we'll see. Today is the first day that I've seen some detectable results... and its Day 9.

"It takes 20 minutes to turn a live steer into a hamburger. One-third of cattle are blinking, looking around and mooing as their tails are cut off, their hooves removed, their hides pulled off and their bellies ripped open. It is happening all over North America. Veterinarians feel its out of control but the government says there is nothing they can do about it." --The Washington Post's "They Die Piece By Piece" (April 11, 2001)

There are 13 major slaughterhouses in the US. All 13 are "self-policed" for animal abuse. Each worker cuts the throat of about 309 cattle per hour. --Humane Society of America

It is legal in North America for male chicks to be thrown into grinders while alive for dog food companies.

"Poor animals! How jealously they guard their pathetic bodies... that which to us is merely an evening's meal, but to them is life itself." â€” T. Casey Brennan